


The Supergirl Effect: Book One

by Acidbuk



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015), XCOM (Video Games) & Related Fandoms
Genre: Alex Danvers Has PTSD, Alternate Universe - Fusion, BAMF Alex Danvers, F/F, Kara Danvers Has PTSD, Panic Attacks, Referances to panic attacks, slow burn Alex Danvers/Kara Danvers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-01
Updated: 2017-01-31
Packaged: 2018-09-21 05:12:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,037
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9533087
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Acidbuk/pseuds/Acidbuk
Summary: The Earth was Invaded in a great battle by the alien forces of the Elders, there weapons were terrifying and powerful beyond human reckoning and our Planet was overwhelmed. Bravely the DEO fought for our home... and failed  The alien blitz was unrelenting as every prepared fortified defence fell to the alien advance as entire cities were sundered reduced to ash and Rubble in a blink of an eye. - all resistance to the new order crumbled with only handfuls of survivors escaping alive.  Now, Years later on the surface our new alien overlords have brought an era of 'peace and prosperity' consolidated and administered by the ADVENT Corporation. A new way of life or so they say. There is no hunger. There is no violence. There is no disease or pain. The environment is healed and Honesty, courtesy and kindness are practised by all. Our world has never been more... perfect  – it was our beautiful lie to ourselves. Our future swallowed by alien war machines behind a deliberately vague veil of secrets that hide a dark agenda. Outmatched and out gunned the DEO now must strike from the shadows to find a way to reclaim our home.





	

**Author's Note:**

> **Appendix** : Supergirl, Mass Effect, XCOM Alternate Universe-Fusion of Awesomeness  
>  **Declaimer:** All Characters belong to their respective owners and franchises. I own nothing. I make no money from this. Don't sue me. Thanks  
>  **Rating:** This story is rated M For _Mature_ under ESRB Ratings, OR 15+ using BBFC (British Broadcasting Film Classification Ratings). Expect frequent strong violence, canon typical violence, adult themes, moderate to strong language as well as references to mature and sexual situations throughout. Additional warnings may apply on a chapter by chapter basis and will be flagged as I feel appropriate. There are some scenes that are definitely not suable for a younger audience, including references to panic attacks, actual panic attacks and PTSD therefore reader discretion is advised. So if this makes you uncomfortable or likely to cause you distress that's your cue to click the back button I won't hold it against you however you proceed at your own caution and should past this point consider yourself _fairly_ warned.
> 
> **Notes:** Yep. We're Doing this. So, this is my Secret-Project of Secretiveness and something a little bit different. Hope you like it. I haven’t tagged Mass Effect because we won't see much space stuff until much, much, much later. This Story is entirely the fault of far too much Kinder Chocolate. #not-sponsored #justanaddict

**The Supergirl Effect: Book One**

_ They asked, “Do you love her to death?  
I said, “Speak of her over my grave, and watch how she brings me back to life _ .” - Commander Alex Danvers, UEG Historical Archive.

**One - Rebirth**

 

“Danvers”, the voice is distant; “ _Danvers,_ wake up”

Alex gasps, opening her eyes, her vision blurred, as a woman stands over her, her features shift into focus as she moves closer, a brunette, long curly hair. “She's awake”, the voice is unknown, thick with an Australian accent.

“Alex...”, This time the voice is familiar, Alex turns her head; and there is Kara, Blonde hair a little shorter than she remembers; vibrant blue eyes filled with worry. she's not wearing her Supergirl outfit, instead she's in a DEO black Battle Dress Uniform but still Kara, though she lacks the almost trademark glasses, its confusing for a moment.

“Kara...”, Alex rasps out, her voice is horse as a whisper, her mouth feels like its filled with cotton.

“Its okay. you're okay”, Kara assures offering a cup of water to sip, glancing back to the brunette on the other side. Alex tries to get up, but she feels weak, distant; Kara's hand is on her chest in an instant with gentile pressure keeping her in place; “don't get up”, Kara says. Kara sounds different, its familiar but firmer than Alex ever remembers it, more _commanding_. A tone that commands authority through experience, a voice that leads because it has _earned_ it – its the same tone Hank often uses when commanding in the field or addressing the troops.

“You're suffering from muscle atrophy”, the other woman cuts in efficiently “You're body hasn't fully woken up yet, It'll take a while to...”, she's cut off as the ceiling suddenly shakes above them and dust falls into the room that looks suspiciously like a laboratory. Alex looks down and spots two DEO agents, enter through one of the sliding doors with urgency, both are in full combat gear but not like anything Alex has ever seen, its bulkier, heavier, more angled but the black and grey digital camouflage and shoulder patches are unmistakable for anything but the DEO. One stands in the door way, Gauss Rifle firmly shouldered, taking up a defensive position and pointed down the corridor they came from clearly on watch for anything chasing them.

“Agent Lawson”, DEO Agent Number two speaks as he approached.

“How bad is it?”, The Brunette – Agent Lawson, if Alex had to guess answers, the tinge in her voice concerned with a harder edge now.

“ _Bad_ ”, The unnamed agent replies. “Levels One and Two are already compromised and overrun, Level Three is under heavy contact...ADVENT are making a bee-line for us, its like they _know_ about Lazarus _-_ we're slowing them down but they brought the _help_ ”

“Shit”, Lawson curses under her breath and glances at Kara who is shaking her head, biting her lower lip the way she does when she is trying to puzzle something out.

“Can we move Agent Danvers?” the male DEO agent glances at Alex laying prone on the table, she briefly closes her eyes, focusing on trying to make her toes move but its like her entire body is still asleep. Muscle atrophy will do that to you, but if that's true then how long has she been unconscious here for that to happen she tries to focus on the last thing she remembers before waking here but it slides way from her and she can't grasp on to it, shadows dancing at the edge of her consciousness.

“Only if we want to risk damaging her”, Agent Lawson replies, clipped and tense. ' _Damaging_ ' Alex snaps out of her introspection and focuses on the here and now - wondering exactly what _that_ means as if she is some kind of science project or commodity. Second Question of the day, who are ADVENT and what is Lazarus. She files that information away for later.

“ _I_ can move her”, Kara and Agent Lawson share a silent exchange, as they both glance at Alex, then back to each other. There is a slight nod from one to the other and then Kara is picking Alex up bridal style, Alex wants to protest, to will her muscles to work but all she manages is to pat Kara's chest ineffectually even that takes more effort than she cares to admit; “I got you”, Kara says and its so soft so _Kara_ that Alex's resolve crumbles in an instant and she relaxes into the Kryptonians safe capable hands, the edge of her unconscious feels hazy but she forces herself to remain awake.

“Director Henshaw has ordered a full evacuation, Rally is on Hanger Two Ma'am. Doctor Ziegler is already feet wet”, The agent states looking at Agent Lawson; “We'll hold them as long as we can Ma'am”. Lawson waits for a moment, her conscience clearly warring in her head as she debates her options, she glances over at Kara holding Alex, then back to the DEO agents before affirming a tight nod. Alex knows they've just volunteered for a suicide mission, they're going to die here and she didn't even know their names. Alex felt a deep sense of shame, she should be on her feet, she should have a rifle in her hands, she should be fighting _with_ them, dying like a soldier not the cause of their deaths while she's carried away to safety from whatever threat they're facing, what makes her so special, what makes _her_ life more valuable then theirs. 

Agent Lawson goes over to one of the floating blue holographic consoles and taps something; a moment later she removes a portable storage device and grabs a side-arm from one of the desks, loads it and checks the iron sites for a moment, the weapon is much more bulky than anything Alex has ever seen, Passing through another set of double doors, Agent Lawson leads the way weapon drawn and raised, as she moves with Kara following close behind. They pass several intersections and adjacent rooms, eventually coming to a secured door. Agent Lawson punches an access code into the panel and it beeps in submission the heavy steel sliding with a soft hiss to allow them entry

“Through here”, she states, Kara nods silently as they move down a flight of steps into the bowls of whatever facility this is – Alex knows this is _NOT_ the DEO Headquarters or the Desert Facility, she knows them both by heart and has never been to this part before. The move past a network of steam pipes, ducking under or stepping over pressure valves leaking excess heat that makes her sweat. Lawson stops suddenly and holds a hand up, 

Kara stops dead.

Agent Lawson peaks around the corner, the light casting a shadow on the wall of something else, she pulls back and glances at Kara; mouthing a word with a hiss ' _ Viper _ '. Its not a term Alex is families with but Kara nods in agreement. They move slowly, Lawson edging out into the T Interaction. Then Alex sees it, a  _ creature _ crouched down, clearly reptilian and snake-like in origin, its back is to them and its sniffing the air menacingly. 

Lawson takes a breath, aims and squeezes the trigger. The MAG Pistol makes a energizing  _ Thwip _ followed by a sonic  _ Crack _ as its fires a 2mm ECAP or Electron Charge Armour Piercing tungsten round down range, the blue-electric coloured discharge hitting the creature square between the shoulder-blades. The Viper whirls on them, immediately rising to its full height which is head and shoulders above any human, all fangs and spit. Its thrashes across the distance in less than a second, even as Lawson shoots off a half dozen more rounds into it, The creature simply shrugs them off its interlocking scales tougher than carbon fibre or Kevlar, then suddenly its upon her; wrapping its massive snake-like tail around the tall brunette; enveloping her body and squeezing tightly, constricting, Alex can practically hear Lawson's ribs crack under the strain, even as her skin glows incandescent purple, Alex doesn’t understand why but its obviously helping to prevent major damage to her organs.

“ _ **GO**_ ”, She shouts though languished breaths; “Save Danvers”, the creature raises its head, fangs bared, moving in for the kill.

“I'm not leaving you!”, Kara yells back, her voice an octave below a shriek; jumping backwards on instinct still holding Alex firmly; Kara can't fight the creature in melee so she summons her heat vision; the blue beams strike out like lasers, the heat radiating off them in waves - careful, always careful not to hit the other brunette, instead burning into the scaly skin of the Viper searing flesh and charring bone. The Creature hisses in pain from the assault and slackens its grip momentarily, but its enough as Agent Lawson brings her side-arm up – Barrel pointed under the creatures chin, and squeezes the trigger, _Crack, Crack, Crack, Crack, Crack_ , She keeps firing even as the creatures skull explodes from the close range shots, coating the wall and ceiling behind it with green blood and venom that burns and corrodes the pipe work, she keeps firing until its grip slackens entirely and the creature goes limp leaving behind the smell of Oxidized ozone and acid.

She takes a moment to breath, as if testing how badly her ribs are damaged, before she looks at Kara; “You should have left me,  _ Danvers _ is the priority”, Reprimand and Relief in her voice in equal measure. 

“You know _that's_ never going to happen, Miranda”, Kara answered firmly. That commanding tone Alex can't place is back in her sisters voice, though Miranda's reply is to offer a crooked smile. They return to silence, and push through and over the corpse of the Viper and start climbing a set of steel stairs. “I know you have a lot of questions”, Kara says softly, looking down at Alex. “I promise I'll answer them when I can...for now you just have to trust me”

Alex looks up and nods; “ _ Always _ ”, she manages to cup Kara's face if only slightly to emphasise the point, Kara's lips tugging up slightly into a small smile before it disappears again replaced by the perpetual frown she's been wearing since this all seemed to go to hell. Miranda practically punches her access code into the computer panel and the steel door hisses open with more effort than either of them like. Stepping out into the white-walled corridor space once more as the ceiling shakes again, only minutes have passed but it feels like hours. They've only just come out of the relative safety of the tunnels when Crashing sound disturbs the peace; as a computer goes flying across an adjacent room, shattering the glass and raining it down into the corridor next to it. Forcing Miranda and Kara to crouch low, laying Alex down sat-upright against the wall trying to hide. There is a moment as the elevator behind them makes a perfect 'ding' sound, and two more DEO agents in combat armour step out, Rifles raised, - they spot Miranda, Kara and Alex, a moment of recognition passes as they move to support the trio, until they see the two creatures at the other end of the corridor. 

“Contact Front! _Muton_!”, a female voice cries out; The Gauss Rifle kicks against her shoulder, a half second later, its distinct sound now familiar to Alex's ears, followed by a second set of shots from the other male agent. 2mm ECAP Tungsten rounds spit down range like rain as the weapon cycles on full-auto, Alex would scold them for their trigger discipline if she hadn't dared take a look in the opposite direction to see the two bounding figures running at them – large, muscled grey skinned creatures with glowing yellow eyes. She could only watch in horror as the ECAP rounds – designed to take out _an armoured vehicle_ , punched into the emerald 'power armour' and tore it to shreds as both soldiers concentrated their fire, the thick viscous fluid that passed for blood gushing and splattering the walls, painting them with it in an unnatural display of gore throughout the carnage the Muton _still_ charged, letting out an almighty roar as it soaked the damaged before finally coming to a stop a moment later falling face first. There was no time for celebration as the second Muton brought up its own plasma rifle, the two agents switched target but a Green-ball of plasma erupted from the barrel of the alien weapon, screaming down the corridor past them, hot enough to melt the plaster on the walls – Kara dived - shielding Alex and Miranda with her own body, as her uniform singed and smoked from the pulse rushing past close behind her.

The DEO agent on the other end wasn't so lucky; the bolt hit her square in the chest, her E-Webb Barrier crumpled like tissue paper, her chest piece boiled away, disintegrating most of her upper torso into charred flesh and bone while still retaining enough Kinetic energy to throw her back hard against the lift doors – falling limp, the embers around the gaping wound still glowing green from residual plasma. She was very  _ definitely _ permanently dead. The remaining DEO agent, dived for cover as a second plasma bolt, hurtled his way, it was a glancing blow against his E-Webb Barrier the residual searing heat melting and boiling away part of his shoulder-armour to cinders as the rest of the bolt carried past him striking the elevator doors behind him, melting the heavy steel in a shower of sparks and molten metal as he rolled to return fire using the corner as a defensive fire position Tungsten rounds flying back in the opposite direction.

“Kara, _Go_ ”, Lawson ordered. Before Alex could blink, Kara was on her feet; or more off her feet, flying full tilt at the Muton before it could get a third shot off, Instinct took over as Kara moved into close range and tossed its rifle to the side; Bringing her fist to bare, the Muton caught Kara's punch in mid swing, but the Kryptonians strength won through and the bones in its arm shattered and splintered like glass. The Muton Reeled back in pain clearly not expecting such a reaction. The brief look on its face dumbfounded at this complication, as if it simply could not process this new information, Kara wasn't in the mood to be delicate or to give it time to regain its composure – bringing her feet up between the creature and herself she pushed away from the creature sending it hurtling backwards clear fifteen feet as it tumbled away from her like a rag doll careening into the wall with a hearty _thud crashing_ through an office divider. Kara threw herself forward again pulling back with her left fist and ramming it into the Mutons face as it struggled to regain its footing taking a step backwards punch-drunk Kara bringing her right fist upwards into a thundering uppercut with all of her Kryptonian strength – thoroughly ringing its bell, with a sickening crunch of a snapping spinal cord, the Muton remained still.

Adrenaline pumping through her veins Kara took a moment to compose herself, regain her senses, as she watched its life drain away trying to push the image out of her mind. This was not her first kill, it would not be her last, the time for shame and self-doubt would come later in the dark after she cried herself to sleep. She shuddered, she couldn't allow herself to fall inwards, to listen to the monster in her head, the voice that always took more than it gave. She had to focus on Alex – _Always_ Alex. Closing her eyes she tried to picture her foster sisters face, before all this mess started when life was simpler, CatCo, Lattes for Ms Grant, Snapper Carr, Fort Rozz Escapees, Take-out Tuesday with Netflix and Ice cream curled up snuggled against the warmth of Alex, the scent of gunpowder, strawberries and cheap men's shampoo, she took a breath, centring herself in everything Alex as she felt a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Kara”, Miranda spoke – the question unvoiced. 

“I'm okay”, Kara replied with a nod, still taking shallow breaths and counting down from nine-thousand four hundred. “I'm okay”, she repeated like a mantra, because she had to be. Alex needed her. When the positions were reversed, When it was Kara alone, vulnerable and scared waking up to a world she didn't know. Alex kept her safe, Alex had taught her how to be a person again, Alex had let her into her life and her heart. Alex would do _anything_ for her, Alex had _killed_ for her, she could do no less. They turned back at a brisk run, Kara running to Alex, while Miranda shifted to attended to the downed DEO Agent. She bent down; unstrapping the agents helmet she removed it slowly, as the agent breathed painfully revealing the face of a dark skinned man with short 'military cut' hair, and a soul-patch moustache. “How are you doing Jacob?”

“Just a glancing blow ma'am”, Jacob Taylor winced out with some false bravado; “Thank Rao for the E-Webb”. Kara chuckled slightly, after 'Arrival' ADVENT had banned all Earth Religions outright once taking power under the pretence that we should all believe in the unending power and mercy of the _Elders_. ADVENT had a strangle hold on the urban centres and inner-cities and controlled the media with an iron grip. 'Raoism' had started as a protest - a small way of sticking it to our alien overlords then It became a movement, quickly spreading like wild-fire amongst the rural towns and villages across the world the old fashioned way – person to person. It was too big to stop now, it gave people hope, and of that they were in short supply. Wars are not only won by bullets and bombs, wars are won by _inches_ and with small acts of defiance.

“You could have been _killed_ Jacob”, Miranda cracks finally, even half two-sheets to the wind Alex notices how Miranda is unable to stop the taint of fear creeping to her words. 

Jacob shook his head; “I just need a minute”, he said, bringing himself to his feet, he stretched out his arm, testing the ball of his shoulder wincing slightly in pain, before he activated his armours trauma module to administer a cocktail of pain medication and combat stimulants.

“Unfortunately we don't _have_ one, we need to get Danvers to Hanger-Two For EVAC”, Miranda said nodding her head towards Alex.

“Wait _that's_...”, Jacob looked at Alex barely conscious, leaning against the wall as Kara tended to her; there was a moment of reverence across his face then he looked back to Miranda; “Oh shit”. Jacob squared his shoulders a little tighter, spine a little straighter; “I'm good ma'am”. There was no false bravado this time, just the grim resolve of a solider to do what needed to be done.

“Kara, grab Danvers, we're on the move”, Miranda nodded to the Kryptonian who turned to Alex to pick her back up but Alex was pulling herself to her feet, it was awkward, it was sloppy it was beyond insane but that was Alex Danvers – she _was_ the Impossible. A combination of loyalty, suicidal bravery and the unrelenting willpower of a mountain that made her the perfect candidate for Miranda Lawson and Doctor Ziegler's Lazarus project.

“Give me a weapon”, Alex states; she wobble on her feet; Kara is there in an instant, wrapping her arm around her shoulder, propping up the brunette. “ _Give. Me. A. Weapon_ ”. Alex repeated, emphasising and sounding out every word. Miranda looked to Kara; another silent exchange and a small nod from the Kryptonian. 

Miranda handed Alex her side-arm, “It kicks like a mule”, Miranda explained; “But nothing you can't handle”, Alex raises an eyebrow at that but shakes her head, leaning on Kara, as Miranda retrieves the downed agents gauss rifle for herself; She checked the weapon, adjusting the magazine, checking the ammunition count and the Reflex sight to her eye. Satisfied she pressed the weapon to her shoulder. Its was easier, with Jacob picking up the rear, Miranda on point they still have a long way to go.

**( 0 0 0 )**

Kara is walking Alex, or more floating Alex, along. Still refusing to let her take all of her own weight, every so often Alex will drift in and out of consciousness, the iron grip on her weapon will loosen and then she'll jar awake; she focuses her attention on Kara. The set of her jaw, her scent, the curl of her smile when they make brief eye contact. “Kara..” Alex almost slurs out, halfway between awake and not. “What happened back there?”.

Kara flinches at the words but remains silent; “You  _ killed _ that thing”, Alex presses determined to get an answer though instantly regrets it,

“Yes”, Kara replies finally, she doesn't want to talk about this, not now anyway, maybe later, _maybe never_ , she adds to herself. 

“Supergirl doesn't kill”, Alex says, its soft, its not judgemental, its trying to understand, this is Alex trying to puzzle out the dots - to reconcile the Kara that she remembers, with this new Kara unfolding before her,

A Kara who fights like a soldier.

A Kara that kills.

“No, Supergirl doesn't”, its not an answer, but its the best one Kara can give. “Please Alex, Later”, she tries to make her voice sound even but, it come out more as a plea than anything. She knows Alex won't judge her for what she's done yet somehow that makes it worse, Kara has been doing a fine well job of _not_ talking about it. Doctor Quinnzel thinks she's repressing, Kara thinks there is a lot of that going around. 

Silence descends again, as Miranda enters an access code once more and the large steel double doors to the hanger open slowly, the small group shuffles inside and they take cover behind a number of large crates, which look like they may have contained some kind of scientific equipment at some point. “that's our ride”, Jacob says, nodding his head toward the MV-24 Sky Ranger, sitting on the far end of the hanger.

Miranda murmurs something under her breath; then nods to a number of creatures that look, almost human, tall, lean, incredibly pale clammy skin but with horrifying mutated eyes black as pitch. “Thin men”, She states; “more than a half dozen”, she counts.

“We can take _Thin Men_ ”, Jacob adds in, with a low growl, the former Force Recon Marine eager for payback. It was true, Thin Men were soft, squishy and easily killed, they were no where near as resilient or fast as the pure-bread Viper, they had encountered in the tunnels. However what they lacked in strength they made up for in numbers, A Marine Battalion had learnt the hard way during the early stages of the war that squads of thin men were as dangerous as any of the other alien horrors unleashed on humanity.

“Not without putting Danvers in more danger”, Miranda replies, reprimanding her subordinate.

“I Can _fight_ ”, Alex says, she's barely conscious, but when the adrenaline of a fire-fight kicks in she knows that tiredness will withdraw, the 'pea-shooter' they’re given her will be useless though; “Give me your rifle, I'll provide overwatch”, Alex presses. Miranda's lips thin; and she glances at Kara who, turns to Alex, who practically pleads with her eyes, she can't say the words but she is willing the Kryptonian to understand to _know_ that she needs this. Kara lets out a breath and nods to the other brunette, who immediately passes her rifle to Alex, its heavier than Alex figures it would be, it feels almost reassuring. Alex doesn't know which one of them is in charge or what their relationship is but clearly Kara and Miranda have an unspoken understanding.

“Kara, Press the centre and draw them out into the open. Jacob and I will Flank from the right up the freight elevator ramp. Danvers. You stay back and pick off any stranglers from here”, Miranda orders. “these things are faster than they look and they spit acid...”.

Alex nods firmly, Kara gives her shoulder a reflexive squeeze; its an unspoken 'be careful' and Alex nods. She's got this. Its nothing she hasn't done a thousand times. Alex can see Kara is reluctant to leave, but Alex gives her a smile and another nod, with that they all fan out into the Hanger. Kara charging up the centre, not using her super speed; she whistles, the Thin Men turn sharply, tilt their heads – a quirk of their reptilian programming even if they  _ look _ more human.

They shift, and bound towards Kara, without breaking stride, hoping form crate-to-crate, surface to surface - walls, ceilings and gantries, jumping, crawling and running with the grace of a circus performer. One haunches backwards on the balls of its feet, acid spits out of its mouth like a projectile, with Kryptonian reflexes Kara dives to the side – the acid landing where she stood just a second before, burning through the steel shelving. Kara shoulder charges from a standing start into the nearest Thin Man, its squawks out an awkward strangled noise as its ribs splinter but Kara isn't done as she lifts it by its legs, and arm jarring the creatures shoulder, pressing its face away from her and uses its body as a battering ram into the group.

Kara pushes her feet off of the creatures legs as she leaps into the air. Snapping its calf’s under her weight, flying towards a new target – this one is retching again to spit at her but she pirouettes in the air, grabbing its head just as its about to debauch its acid in her direction and aims its face away, and at a group of its own then snaps its neck without even blinking. The Thin Men scream as the acid cloud, engulfs them, flesh sizzles and burns filling the air with a putrefied smell. _Phfzzt_ _Crack, Phfzzt Crack, Phfzzt Crack_ – Tungsten Rounds shred another two, Miranda and Jacob joining the fight outflanking the enemy Kara had so thoroughly distracted. 

Another crack behind her, as a fourth goes down, to a sniper shot from Alex, then a fifth. Alex is on a role. Kara allows her self this moment of pride in her foster sister, that even half unconscious, delirious and suffering from years of muscle atrophy is  _ still _ a bad-ass then suddenly she is all business again, Heat Vision catching another one, rending flesh from bone, severing leg and arm from torso. The last two Thin Men start to retreat, Kara, Jacob and Miranda pushing forward towards the walkway. They're going to make it, its just a little further. They can see the Sky-Ranger. They can almost feel the seats beneath them. If they can just clear the last few aliens they can grab Alex and...

The elevator at the end of the walkway makes a distinctive ' _Ding_ ' and the doors slide open almost on cue as if this was some action TV show or video game with a last obstacle or final boss in the way of our dashing heroes making a daring escape.

Out steps  _ more _ Mutons, distinctive in their emerald coloured power armour and behind them trundling slowly an unmistakable shape. The Bipedal purple robot is hunched down on its legs, almost like a great ape before rising to its full height, Red and magenta accents winding through the High Entropy alloy shell. The piloted mechanized robot towers over everything, overcompensating for its smaller, frailer pilot. The Mutons for all their imposing power look insignificant next to it. 

The Mechtoid grumbles forward.

Kara pales; “Mother Fu...”

“ _Language_ ”, She hears Alex's reprimand in her ear comm.

“ _Seriously_?”, Kara asks incredulously “ _Language_?” its been years since _anyone_ has told her to hold her tongue in a fight. She hears Alex's gentile laugh in her ear and shakes her head with amusement. She'd missed this. 2mm ECAP Tungsten rounds tear past her like a blizzard, cutting into the new arrivals Lawson and Jacob having taken up suppressing positions behind her. The Mutons withered under the assault If only briefly before Plasma fire is hurtling back in the opposite direction, leaving a trail of burning steel and melted plastic as the alien creatures run for cover, a small group lifted into the air floating harmlessly – before being slammed back down Jacob and Miranda keeping up the pressure. They _definitely_ would not be using this hanger again – assuming they survived this. Kara could hear Alex taking the occasional pot-shot at the Mechtoid, which just shrugged it off and kept on tumbling forward with ruthless efficiency. It glowed and withered under Miranda's PSI-powers, space twisting as psionic energy flooding into its frame, exploding in a shower of purple incandescent. 

The Mechtoid shrugged off the hit again.

Nothing they had short of an Anti-Tank missile could even scratch that thing, let alone disable it.

That left one option.

“Miranda – Take Alex and get out of here”, Kara states. Its an Order; “I'll take care of the Mechtoid”

“Kara!”, Miranda begins to protest; but is already switching fire position, Jacob shifts his fire lane to cover the other brunette as she sprints. “I'm not bloody _leaving_ you here”, the normally casually reserved Australian twang is now panicky and fearful as the detached ice queen façade slips. Alex can hear it, see it as Miranda Lawson picks her up roughly and hoists her fireman style over her shoulder, surprisingly stronger than she looks.

“ _Don't Argue_ ”, Kara states, she rocks on the ball of her feet then pushes forward; breaking the sound-barrier from a standing start, the sonic boom throwing the Mutons who aren’t dead yet around like toys from a pram. She's had a long time to learn a few tricks. “Alex is the _priority_ remember”

Miranda flinches at her own words; she looks away, Alex suddenly felt like she has become privy to something intimate and private but isn't sure why. “ _ Hammer down  _ is in effect”, Lawson replies a moment later her voice cracking and thick with emotion; “You  _ better _ be right behind me or I swear to Rao”

“I _will_ ”, Kara says, “I Promise”, Kara growls letting her anger bust from her like a volcano; “okay big guy. _Lets dance_ ”. 

Once upon a time, not long after she had been placed with the Danvers Eliza had taken Kara to a child psychologist,who had diagnosed her with 'rage issues', Kara was told that she should try to let her anger out in a 'healthy manner', how _exactly_ do you tell a human psychologist that the reason you are so angry is because your entire world _exploded_ and everyone you knew and loved, your culture, your people, you entire race – except for one cousin you hardly knew are dead and that _you_ were the _last_ of your kind without being sent to the crazy house, How do you find the words to say that you can't let that anger go because _everything_ here on Earth is so damn _fragile_ , that you can't for a second afford to lose control. Eliza's rules kept her safe, kept _everyone_ safe but they also forced her to conceal, to repress, to ignore her own feelings and for years and years Kara consistently chose to be better, to always turn the other cheek, to always say something nice – to _always_ see the silver lining in every cloud no matter how dark – more than a decade of suppression and fear of who she was – tragically scarred and broken Kara Zor-El pushed into the background hidden in the shadows behind her eyes. Socially awkward slightly clumsy 'Sunny Danvers' was more than an act, it was her second skin, it was the Kara everyone _wanted_ her to be, it was the Kara that fit in, the Kara that was normal - then Alex's plane fell out of the sky. Her first battles as Supergirl tended to bring out the primal part of her and tapped into that coiled rage that nestled deep in her psyche that she'd repressed for over a decade, she even named it the 'monster in her head', caged under lock and key beneath the surface, hungering for her heart and soul. The problem was once she _started_ to let the monster out she couldn't stop, that part of her was a never ending well – an ocean of anger and fury with teeth and claws she couldn't control, Red Kryptonite was a window into the dark part of her soul and she was truly afraid of what would happen if she ever fully let go of who she was and the monster took over. 

It took _years_ of sessions with J'onn focusing on their pain,  talking about his wife and daughters, about her losing Krypton and her Parents, about Astra, her fears, her love for Alex – that she never got to tell her foster sister how she felt and his quiet non-judgemental reassurance that it was okay to be angry, to think negative things, that it was _okay_ to be selfish sometimes – it was okay to love with everything that she was and if the worse happened – if she went too far someone  could stop her - he _could_ stop her. It helped and they worked through her anger issues with quiet mediation and with it she learned to _harness_ that anger, sharpened it, honed it to a razors edge at the point of a spear and now the monster in her head worked for _her_. 

The Primal part of her kicked in, a darker shade of courage pumping through her veins as all that pain and sadness, decades worth of anger and regret pushed into her muscles the euphoria of a combat high took over numbing her to all else but the oncoming rush of imminent violence. Kara slammed into the Mechtoid with megaton force its Kinitic Barriers crumpled under the assault pushing it backwards even as it tried to dig in its heals. Reaching at its shoulder-joints, her fingers curled into a claw and she pulled – _hard_ Tearing the arm off the robot with savage fury even as it moved to grab her with its other claw arm, she wiggled in the claw, its grip was firm. Kara turned her head and screamed a guttural and alien noise using her Heat Vision; the powerful blast melting through the other shoulder turning the high-entropy alien alloy to molten cinders. The Mechtoid reeled back as it shunted the neural feedback and threw Kara, tossing her through the air, she felt her back hit against a wall and keep going as she careened through a steel pillar with an almighty smack landing on her feet and seeing stars before shaking off the blow.

Kara took a moment for her vision to clear, then slammed back into the carnage.

**( 0 0 0 )**

Miranda Lawson did her best to ignore the ensuing fight between Kara and the Mechtoid, she  _ knew _ Kara can handle herself, has done for a long time, proved herself invaluable to the resistance and humanity even before the arrival but her heart still clenched as she heard the noise of it, because while she knows Kara, she also  knows what a  _ Mechtoid _ can do. She shuddered hearing the crash, focusing on her Job – Getting Danvers to the Sky-Ranger. Jacob is right behind her, keeping pace even if he is running with a limp now having taken a second glancing blow from a plasma bolt. His Combat Trauma module working double duty today and he would definitely have a date with Doctor Ziegler and some nano-wraps in his future if Miranda had anything to say about it, despite that she knows the former Marine has a never lay down attitude.  _ “Old Marines never really die Miranda, they just get more pissed off _ ” the words are comforting now more than they ever were. 

Jacob is already at the access console, lowering the Ramp on the Sky-Ranger – Successor to the V-22 Osprey the DEO used to use, the Hybrid Scram-Jet powered Tilt-Rotor was a marvel of engineering in its day. Now compared to ADVENTS Elerium powered Counter-gravity Transports it was woefully obsolete but they were rough and ready – easy to fix and easy to fly. In this war, that mattered, they didn't have the numbers or the technology advantage.

“Clear!” Jacob shouted out from inside the aircraft; Miranda quickly manoeuvred herself up the ramp or as quickly as she could while carrying another human being. “Let me take her”, Jacob added a moment later and she nodded passing the small frame of Agent Danvers to Jacobs capable hands while she moved to the cockpit, placing herself in the pilots chair and pulling on a headset HMD to begin start-up procedures. Under normal circumstances it could take 15 minutes for a pilot to conduct all of the proper pre-flight checks, these were not normal circumstances as Miranda went straight to cycling the engines ignoring the crashing crunching sounds outside.

**( 0 0 0 )**

Kara dived in with another super-sonic punch, breaking the sound barrier on contact, the sonic-boom shuddered through the hanger, vibrating everything and the Mechtoid withered under Kara's relentlessly aggressive attack, she floated out of reach of its claw arm, diving to the side and rolling in one fluid movement picking up the discarded arm then using it like a club, she swung it at the Mechtoid. The Kryptonian driven Robot-on-Robot crash was earth shattering like a man made earthquake had just rippled through the hanger as the robot careened through the air. The Mechtoid stumbled to its feet. Kara took advantage of the brief window and hit it again, and again, and  _ again _ , mercilessly and relentlessly thrashing the robot with its own appendage. The Mechtoids armour shattered and broke as it came to a mechanical stop, it flailed helplessly as it tried to move, to keep fighting but it was useless. Kara was already on top of it, in close quarters – now  _ literally _ disarmed as she tore off the claw arm with equal vigour and savage borderline animalistic abandon; Kara used her freeze breath then reeled back and smashed her fist into the ballistic glass protecting its pilot. 

The Glass Held.

Kara punched again.

The Glass Held.

Kara punched a third time.

The Glass spider webbed cracked and shattered along the fault lines of the impact of Kara's fist. She reached in and yanked the Sectoid out of what passed for its pilot seat. The creature felt somehow  _ infinitely _ more fragile now, it looked at her, its big black eyes, its clammy grey skin. Its tiny little body compared to the massive head. Kara blinked at it, Immune to its psychic attacks It could almost look harmless as it squirmed in her grip she almost felt  _ sorry _ for it if it hadn't been trying to kill her a few moments ago. Her heart was pounding, the sound of her own pulse ringing in her ears, drowning out everything else, the monster in her head screamed out for blood, she had  _ earned _ this.

Kara used her Heat vision.

She felt instantly guilty.

Another life taken by her hand. It was more blood on her ledger, She started to wonder when did the lives she'd taken out weigh the lives she'd saved - If she'd ever balance that out or if Clark would ever talk to her again. She looked at the remains of the broken Sectoid, did it have _any_ more choice than she did, was it just a soldier following orders? Worse did it have _any_ free will at all or was it dancing to a tune entirely set out for it by the Elders. 

Kara didn't know and that disturbed her.

“Kara!”, the frantic voice of Miranda snapped her out of her trance; “Get you ass on this plane _**NOW**_ ”. 

“ _On it_!”, Kara answered almost instantly retreating from the broken body, the husk of the Mechtoid, the battle and her own conscience she half ran half flew, landing on the rear ramp just as Miranda was taking off. Jacob raising the cargo-door behind her as she stepped inside, she took up a seat next to Alex, who was laying out in the middle of the Sky Ranger, strapped in, prone unconscious. 

Without the high of combat or threat of imminent death to keep her mind at bay the guilt was already starting to crush in on her from all sides of her senses. Images running through her head, James telling her she broke the hero's code the first time she took a life, Clark judging her with quiet disappointment of what she'd become, her parents telling her she wasn't fit to wear the El Coat of Arms any more, that she was a wretched savage creature unworthy and broken beyond repair haunted by the ghosts of her past. Bringing her knees to her chest, she instinctively took out Alex's old mp3 player, shakily connecting the ear buds, and switching it to Track 23. Alex's favourite song. Focusing on the rhythm and gently pulse of the melody of the music like a blanket, a warmth from long ago wrapping around her pushing away the darkness and putting the monster back in its box just like J'onn had taught her.

She would cry later. She would weep and grieve for what she had done.

They had Alex.

It was enough, it had to be..

Miranda was pushing the Engines as much as she dared. She could hear them scream in agony well past any safety limitation, her cockpit lit up like a Christmas tree of warning lights as they put as much distance between themselves and Lazarus base as possible. In the distance behind them, _Hammer Down_ activated, For a moment silence seemed to descend upon the world, then there was an incredibly bright flash as the One-Hundred and Fifty Kiloton nuclear warhead buried in the bowels of the facility initiated and a new sun was briefly born. 

A fiery mushroom cloud bubbled high into the atmosphere burning everything in nuclear fire.

**Author's Note:**

>  **Notes:** So, that happened. You know, with Valentines day coming up most people write fluff and fun, I write the 'world where everyone is pretty much broken'. To answer obvious questions: - Yes there will be more of this, this project started as an experiment and turned into a monster. I know this chapter was very action heavy, next chapter as things slow down we take time to simmer and marinate on everything that just happened and will focus mostly on Alex processing.. things, because _things_ need to be processed. Chapter 2 is “Mostly done”, I'm just struggling to get the tone right since I don't want to unload everything at once...


End file.
